Via Our Sports Central -

Due to ongoing drainage issues at PNC Field, the game scheduled for Saturday, July 4th vs. Pawtucket has been postponed. The fireworks show slated for after the scheduled game will go on as planned and fans with tickets for Saturday’s game are encouraged to celebrate the holiday at PNC Field with gates opening at 7:30 PM and the fireworks show which will begin at 9:00 PM. PNC Field concessions stands as well as Legend’s at PNC Field will be open for business.

The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are currently experiencing a significant drainage problem at PNC Field which has been highlighted by the inordinate amount of rainfall this summer. The Yankees have taken several steps to alleviate the problem including drilling holes on the field, aerating, adding drain tile and replacing over 14,000 square feet of sod in the outfield. We have also enlisted the service of other experts, including a field consultant hired by structural consultants Ewing Cole, to evaluate the field conditions. Steve Horne, the PNC Field head groundskeeper, the field consultant and a third party group hired to do an independent study, have all reached the same conclusion: the PNC Field playing surface, as well as the drainage system, needs to be replaced.

Given the scope of the project, it must wait until the end of the season to be done. In the meantime, all efforts are being made by all parties involved, including the New York Yankees head groundskeeper, Dan Cunningham, to implement any and all potential short term solutions available. The SWB Yankees priority is player safety and it may become necessary to postpone additional games due to the playing conditions at PNC Field.

Based on some of the reader comments left at Chad Jennings’ report on this, fans are pretty upset about the way the team has handled this situation.

On June 13, 1975, then Yankees center fielder Elliott Maddox tore a ligament and cartilage in his right knee after slipping on the wet outfield grass at Shea Stadium – which was caused by an inadequate drainage system – during the ninth inning of a game against the White Sox. And, he was never the same after that injury. I’m sure that the Yankees would hate to see the same thing happen to a prospect like Austin Jackson. So, as bad as I feel for the fans about this – and I do, because it stinks to have someone pull the rug on your plans to see a game – you do have to do what’s right with respect to making sure the players don’t get hurt on a field with compromised playing conditions.